the stable Dilemma
by a far away world
Summary: AU! we know how much trouble merlin and arthur call to themselves as they arrive on the brink of adulthood. so have you ever wonderd what they were like growing up in camelot? poor uther is going to need three sets of arms and eyes watching thses two!


"My father's horse is _pink!_" Arthur said, much like a gapping fish as he stood in the middle of the stables. He had awoken late that morning (even though a certain brown haired boy had arrived to his room telling him to wake up, but Arthur just gave him some chores and fell back asleep as the other boy left complaining) but know he regretted it.

"So it is." Merlin said as he walked out from behind the once grey mount. The mount snorted slim mist from his nose and trotted in place as if to say, 'hey look, I am pink, and this is not right on so many levels!'

Arthur just stared at Merlin as he dumped a pail of feed in to a foot long trough and hoped over the padlock gate to smile at Arthur. The prince didn't know rather to laugh, cry, or strangle Merlin's puny neck. He did none of those tempting suggestions, as he was fond of the _servants'_ hard and laboring work he did for him.

"How did this happen-no wait let me guess you used magic didn't you? My father is going to kill you, Merlin, and me! This is the dumbest thing ever and that's including the time you and Gwaine made me flounce around in Moraga's dress on a dare!"

The prince shuddered at the memory and how humiliating it was from all the laughs to his fathers' glares! Oh, that was the last time he took to drinking with Merlin and Gwaine in his father's private stores! He shook his head and came back to the present where Merlin was just a smiling and looked like an idiot.

"I didn't use magic, Arthur. I don't know how this happened, though I must admit it's quite funny."

Arthur moaned and cursed who ever stuck him with this idiot. He looked to the horse and struggled to keep a smile off his lips, as he never did really like the horse. It had a habit of kicking him and romping around when he rode it, not to mention the blasted horse was the reason he couldn't sneak out at night anymore, as it always neighed at the sight of him! The horse's grey eyes held his and they looked menacing.

"So what, this happen in the blink of an eye: One minute the horse is gray and the next pink?"

"Yhea, pretty much. I mean, don't think I wanted this to happen, I do like this horse after all, it's got a very amusing manner," Merlin said as he patted the pink horse on the nose, but stopped when he heard footsteps.

In a manor of seconds Merlin was yanked to an over turned haystack and hidden from view, but he was not happy as Arthur's arm was going up his nose. He growled and tried to shove the other away but he got a soft slap on the back of his head, oh, the unjustness of it all!

They watched as Uther came through the stables door with an apple in his hand. He walked over with a big smile as he unlocked the door to get into the royal part of the stables, and walked over to the gate singing a old tune under his breath. He stopped though when charger, his horse's now pink head, greeted him.

He dropped the apple and made a very rude string of noises.

"Who the hell turned my horse pink?" he shouted, casing the boys to cower down under the hay.

Hearing the rustling of movement, Uther walked over, with both hands, lifted the teens out from the hay, and held them up so they were even with his eyes. The boys with straw in their hair gulped and smiled.

"Hello, father," said Arthur as he hung there with his legs swinging in the air.

"Um, nice day sire?" said Merlin causally from where he was. Not one bit afraid of the king who had gracility offered Merlin a spot in their home, when he came to Camelot on his mother's whishes. Uther was not the crazy man on a killing spree everyone thought he was.

"Why am I not surprise to find you to boys apart of this." Said Uther to the two. He sat them down on the ground and pointed to his horse.

"Care to explain what happened."

"Not really, father, seeing as I had no part in it."

Of course, his son would say that. At 14, he was already the bartering and high-ended prince as his father was back then, only he had more of his mother carefree sprit than any thing and her scarcities remarks.

That only left Merlin. The boy who Uther had taken in and cared for ,along with his son. He glared to the boy as his big ears and wide eyes seemed too much of wisdom for the boy of 13. He raised an eyebrow at him.

"I swear I didn't do it, sire! I just was washin him like Arthur told me to do, since he didn't want to do it. I don't think my magic turned him pink!"

Arthur stuck his tongue out at Merlin, how dare he rat him out. It wasn't his fault he and the horse had a strong dislike for each other. He crossed his arms at Merlin, who in turn stuck out his tongue to.

"Don't stick your tongue out at me, Merlin!" he said to the other boy.

Merlin glared at the prince and poked him in the shoulder, "Why not? You did. You should've cleaned the horse your self, clotpole, then we would not be in this mess!"

Arthur hit him back and his face turned red, "Because Merlin, I am a prince and you're my servant, I can order you around all I want!"

At this Merlin eyes flashed amd a bucket flew into the air and planted it self on Arthur 's head, and when the boy walked forward, trying to get it off, he knocked into a pole and fell down, ripping the pail off. Merlin smiled.

"I am not your servant and you can't order me around! And I did not turn charge pink, how many times must I say it! I was just a shocked as you!"

"Why then-"

"ENOUGH!"

The boys fell quite at the king's loud voice. He was pinching his nose as a headache was coming to a strong beginning. He looked at the boys and then to his horse, who had grown quite too. With little effort, he hauled the boys up and put the bucket on the hook by the wall.

"Merlin, what did I tell you about using magic so freely?" he asked the other boy.

"Merlin looked to his shoes, "not to. Unless we are at the castle in case someone might see and take advantage of it."

Uther nodded his head and looked to Arthur, "What did I tell you about ordering Merlin around?"

Arthur looked just as bashful as he blushed, " that he isn't my servant (not yet any way, he thought) and that we should treat each other fairly."

"Yes, so I said." He looked to his horse then to the trouble makes, "Go on then, back to the castle with you both. I believe little Gwen is here along with Gwaine and Lancelot."

The boys perked up and with smiles stated ruing to the door, while pushing each other out of the way. Uther smiled faintly upon hearing them bickering and sighed. He looked to his horse who snorted.

"Yes, I will have my hands full, won't I?" he asked patting the horse's head.

"I suppose there nothing I can do about your state and I have felling it wasn't Merlin's fault this time. I guess a king needs some color in his life," Uther grimaced, walked away from his horse, and back to his castle.

From behind the other wall of the stable, an old man shoot up his hair turning gray and wild, his cloths dirty from walking the forest, a grin appeared as he laughed. He opened the door, and looked to the horse who comically stuck out his tongue at the older man. He laughed as he walked out the door and thanked the gods from not letting him be caught, and to thank them for being able to watching such an amusing and heartwarming event between the small, almost, family.

"And they saw you can't teach an old dog new tricks," Gauis said, as his eyes turned gold and he disappeared out of sight, back into the castle to great the others.

**Well I hoped you liked it! I do ask you if you could, to leave a review for me, to tell me your thoughts on my attempt on humor! **


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